Sports
From the Navy to Soccer: Why Renato Ribeiro Chose the Sea
The coach left soccer strength training behind for open-water swimming, forging the legacy of Equipe Navegantes.
Before establishing himself as a leading authority in open-water swimming, Renato Ribeiro served in the Harbor Master's Office and worked in Botafogo's youth academy. Speaking to Natação Stemma, the coach details the journey that led him to establish Equipe Navegantes.
The precision with which Renato Ribeiro reads the ocean before sending an athlete into the water is no accident. Long before leading Equipe Navegantes and guiding swimmers to records in the English Channel and the Triple Crown, the coach built his foundation by studying the ocean up close and working in sports environments far removed from marathon swimming, such as strength and conditioning in professional soccer.
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The Navy training and reading the ocean
His familiarity with the marine environment began in childhood, when Renato was already joining deep-sea fishing trips at age 12. Later, that practical experience gained technical rigor during his time in the Brazilian Navy, serving at the Harbor Master's Office. Aboard patrol boats, he took part in inspections and detailed assessments of navigation conditions during complex operations, such as New Year's Eve along the coast of Rio de Janeiro.
That routine of evaluating currents, wind, and vessel safety shaped the instincts he applies to sports coaching today. His ability to anticipate the ocean's behavior became one of the defining hallmarks of his work, providing steady strategic support for fellow coaches and elite athletes alike.
Time on the pitch and finding his calling
During his undergraduate studies in Physical Education, Renato's path seemed destined for soccer. He worked in strength and conditioning for both the youth academy and senior squad at Nova Iguaçu—at a time when Zinho managed the team and Edmundo was involved in the project—and spent about four years with the Botafogo youth ranks as an assistant to Verdini, the fitness coach for the Brazilian U-20 national team.
Despite pressure and advice from peers to stay in soccer for better financial rewards, the pull of the water proved stronger. Making the permanent switch to open-water swimming meant giving up the stability of soccer to take a chance on a sport that was still developing in the early 2000s.
From Rômulo Arantes to the birth of Navegantes
The definitive turning point came in 2003, when Renato joined Rômulo Arantes Nadadores as an intern at Sport Club Mackenzie, located in the Méier neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, with additional training sessions at Alphaville Barra. It was there that he began leading his first open-water training sessions at Praia Vermelha.
When the swim academy ended its partnership with the club, Renato took charge of the open-water program directly through Mackenzie. Years later, driven by the need to build an independent technical management structure for open-water challenges, the project evolved into Equipe Navegantes between 2008 and 2009. Registered with the federation for five seasons and a regular contender in the Copa Brasil, the team established itself as one of the country's premier hubs for training and marathon swimming support.
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